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Our Favorite Beetle : "TAZ" CURRENT MILEAGE:

Home Repairs

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Do - IT - Yourself (D.I.Y.)

Ah, so you would like to fix your Air cooled VW yourself. Well, that is good to hear. Now, before you grab that screwdriver or sledgehammer, please take a moment and think about this and ask yourself, "Do I know how to repair my VW?" That is an outstanding question. If you do not have the knowledge to repair your VW, well then your should ask yourself "Do I really want to repair my VW?" Another good question and very important. If the answer is NO, then just read what we suggest under our SHOPS page. But, on the other hand, if your answer is YES!, then continue reading. Besides the manual, you will need to invest into some tools, which you can find on our tools page.

Working on your VW can be very rewarding and at the same time frustrating. Before doing any procedure, be sure to read the procedure in the manual at least twice to make sure you understand what you are about to undertake. If you DO NOT understand the procedure fully, STOP and take your VW to a repair shop. The reason is Dave and I have had to straighten out a well meaning repair by a person that did not fully understand the procedure. That straightening out is going to cost heavily, usually MUCH more than you would want to pay.

Be certain to use the proper tools. "The Right Tool for the Right Job" Avoid the use of Air tools, especially on the engine (IT IS NOT A MOTOR). You can use an Air Impact wrench to REMOVE any stuck nut or bolt, but that can get you into trouble and cause a visit to your local machine shop to have your broken bolt or stud removed for a cost of at least $15 to as much as $50 (depending upon how bad bad really is!)

Even with the manual you will find that there are repairs that require some special tools. Many times, these special tools are very expensive, and are not used all that often. So that is something that you will have to decide upon if you want that tool for one use or to just take your VW to a shop.

So after reading all of this, and a couple of very deep breaths, you have decided to take the plunge! Great , we are proud of you and you have our respect! Below is a description of the order of things that you should do.

Read the manual TWICE or until you fully understand the procedure.
Read our Safety page for tips on how to be safe when working on your VW.
It is best to have the replacement parts on hand and the right ones. (yeah, that is experience talking again!) Dave and I had to visit Automotive Machine every weekend for 3 months because we did not have all of the parts on hand! This was our fault and is definitely no fun.
Lay out the tools you will need, before you start the repair. It is a real pain to have to crawl out from under your VW to get a wrench that is a great distance away.
Always try to have a second person to help you with repairs. This is actually for safety in case something like the jack or the VW falls off of the jack stands. There are some repairs that require a second person to help. 99 times out of 100, we work in pairs.
NEVER EVER start a repair that you can not finish in one sitting. The repair will take ten times longer if you have to stop and restart.
NEVER EVER get under a vehicle with only a jack holding it up! You will regret the decision, if you live! ALWAYS use jack stands, they are well worth the investment.
Before installing the new part, it is a good idea to clean the dirt and grease off your filthy hands. Reason: you do not want to drop a $150 alternator on the ground, it does not like it very well.
After you complete the repair, CLEAN UP YOUR TOOLS! They will last longer. Besides who likes a wrench that slips out of your hands at a time when you are giving a bolt the "gorilla" grip!